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Abodes of Vishnu

56. Arulmigu Vaikundavalli Thayar sameda Paramapatha Naathan Temple,Thiruparameswara Vinnagaram

Mulavar   Paramapathanathan, Ranganathan
Utsavar    
Thayar   Vaikundhavalli
Kshethram    
Pose & Direction   Sitting, Standing and Reclining Pose facing West
Theertham   Iyrammadha Theertham,Virajaa Theertham
Vimanam   Ashtanga-Mukundha Vimanam
Sthala Vruksham    
Paadiyavar   Thirumangaialwar
Travel Base   Kanchipuram
Nearest Railway Station   Kanchipuram

Location

Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram is situated in Peria Kancheepuram, 1/2 mile from the Kancheepuram railway station. Nearest Airport is located at Chennai at a distance of 75 Kms. Kanchipuram is around 75 km from Chennai off the Chennai – Vellore/ Bangalore highway via Sriperumpudur. Kanchipuram is well connected by several bus services from Chennai. There is a railway station in Kanchipuram with a few train services from Chennai in the mornings. The temple is at a walkable distance from the Kanchipuram bus stand and Thiru Ooragam Temple.

History

As per Hindu legend, the region where the temple is located was called Vidharba Desa and ruled by a king named Virocha. Due to his misdeeds in preceding birth, Virocha had no heir. He prayed in Kailasanathar Temple and Shiva, the presiding deity of the temple gave a boon that the Dvarapalas (the gatekeepers) of the Vishnu temple will be born as sons to him. The princes were devoted to Vishnu and conducted yagna for the welfare of the people of their kingdom. Vishnu was pleased with the worship and appeared as Vaikundanatha to the princes. Mothers Parvathi, Mahalakshmi and Saraswati came down to earth once to perform penance. Sages Athri, Brugu, Kashyapa, Kaundilya, Triorisheya, Bharadwaja and others helped them. After a while Lords Brahmma, Vishnu and Shiva came there to take the mothers back. The power of the penance of the Rishis was such that the Lords could not go near their consorts. They sent a beautiful Gandharva virgin near the sages. Sage Bharadwaja fell in love with her and had a son. Rishi prayed to Brahmma regarding the child’s upbringing. Vishnu and Brahmma came to his rescue and promised to take care of the child. Lord Maha Vishnu took the form of a hunter and brought up the boy and named him Parameswara Varman. During the same period, a Pallava king, who was childless, was undertaking penance. They presented this child to the Pallava King and named him Parameswaran. He was a staunch Vishnu devotee since his infancy. Lord Vishnu taught him all the arts. By the time he was completing the courses, his life was coming to end. In order to extend his life to a long span, Lord reclined with his head on the northern side. Generally, it is believed that this would affect longevity of the person. When Yama the God of Death came to take the boy, he was shocked to see the Lord with his head towards north and understood that something bad or strange would happen. Lord simply told Yama that He would move only if he ensures long life to His devotee. Yama had no choice. He simply obeyed and turned away assuring long life to the boy-Parameswara Varman. Boy Parameswaran asked the hunter-father who He was. Lord granted him his darshan. Lord is said to have appeared before the devoted Parameswara Varma in his three postures. Lord Vishnu is believed to have stood up and taught Parameswara 18 different arts of life. In his grand sitting posture, he is said to have passed on advice to Parameswara, as an acharya would to his disciple. And then he believed to have got into a sleeping posture so as to be served by Parameswara. To mark these events, Parameswara Pallava is said to have built this 3 tier structure. The 2nd tier is open only on Ekadesi days. The steps to the 3rd Tier are said to have been damaged during Pallava Times because of rains and hence cannot be visited anymore. So attached was the Pallava king to this temple, that he used to invoke the blessing of this Lord before he embarked on any battle, especially before he went to face their arch rivals, The Pandyas. This has been brought out beautifully by Thirumangai Azhvaar in several of his Paasurams in praise of the Lord here. In his Mangalasasanam, Saint Tirumangai Azhwar mentions Parameswara Varman as the builder of Parameswara Vinnagaram – “Parameswara Varman Panindhavarum Parameswara Vinnagaram Adhuve”. The place is also named after him. As Azhwar’s Mangalasasanam has the name of the King, the grace of Lord to him stands established. The extension of longevity to Parameswara Varman it is said was granted on a Vaikunda Ekadasi day, also a Wednesday. Worshipping Lord on this day will increase the longevity of the devotee, it is believed. It is also believed that this Kanchi Vishnu temple is the first of the Divya Desams in this region. This sthalam also tells us how the Vaishnavam and Saivam relationship should be treated. Virochana king worshipped Lord Shiva for the child, but it was the Vishnu Bhaktha who was born. So, it clearly tells that there should be no any fights (or) misunderstanding between the caste and all the Gods are said to be treated as a single one.

Architecture

Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram or Vaikunta Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamilnadu. The Temple was constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one among the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Vaikuntanathan and his consort Lakshmi as Vaikundavalli. This is one of the 108 Divyadesas of Lord Vishnu. The temple is believed to have been built by the Pallava king Nandivarman II (720-96 CE), with later contributions from Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagar kings. The temple is surrounded by a granite wall enclosing all the shrines and water bodies of the temple. Vaikuntanathan is believed to have appeared to king Virocha. The temple follows Vaikasana Agama and observes six daily rituals and two yearly festivals. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamilnadu. The temple is one of the prominent tourist attractions in the city. This Divya Desam is the celebrated Vaikuntha Perumal Temple, built by the Pallava Emperors who also built the Kailasanathar Temple at Kanchipuram. Situated one km off the Kanchipuram railway station, this Divya Desam has been designated as a heritage temple and is under the archeological survey of India. This temple was built shortly after the construction of the Kailasanatha Temple (7th century CE) was completed. This temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon by Thirumangai Alvar in 10 hymns. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the Vaishnava canon. The temple is one of the fourteen Divyadesams located in Kanchipuram and is part of Vishnu Kanchi, the place where most of the Vishnu temples in Kancheepuram are located. Vaikuntha Perumal temple was first built with a distinctive style in South India.

Timings: 7.30 am to 12 noon, 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm